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“With the recent firing and hiring of Dr. Valentino, you have failed us," Albuquerque resident Zachary Anaya said. "Now, Dr. Valentino was punished for his mistakes. It is time for this board to face similar consequences."

Board members faced constituents for the first time since they gave Luis Valentino $80,000 to resign as superintendent. Several people called for board members to step down.

"Hiring people who shouldn't be 100 feet from a school in the first place. How did they get so close?" APS employee Feliz Guana asked. "That's what we elected you for."

Valentino resigned earlier this week after it was discovered his deputy superintendent Jason Martinez was facing child sex assault charges in Denver. Martinez did not complete a mandatory background check before Valentino hired him.

For the first time, the board talked about the firing. Board members said the last few weeks have felt like a series of personal attacks.

“We've been called cowards and puppets and ‘Do your job,’" Lorenzo Garcia said.

“Not being able to stick up for ourselves, not being able to say what went on behind closed doors," Peggy Muller-Aragon said.

"Employees have a due process," Donald Duran said.

Despite the criticism, the board members said they did the right thing by buying out Valentino's contract. The board members said they hope to move forward with acting Superintendent Raquel Reedy.

Reedy addressed the board, saying she has received hundreds of emails, calls and well-wishes from the community.